Rebels unveil entertaining hoops schedule

Steve Carp

Friday, Aug. 15, 1997 | 9:39 a.m.

Get ready for an early start in November, a wild December and head-to-head battles against two of the Western Athletic Conference's perennial basketball powers in January and February.

UNLV's basketball schedule for 1997-98 virtually is set pending some time changes for television. There are some entertaining matchups on the docket as well as plenty of national exposure for Bill Bayno's club, which is coming off an impressive 22-10 season and a trip to the NIT quarterfinals.

The 1997-98 season kicks off with exhibitions Nov. 1 against USDBL and Nov. 8 against the Melbourne Magic of Australia. The regular season begins Nov. 15 at the Thomas & Mack Center when the Rebels host Loyola Marymount as a tuneup for the Nov. 19 Preseason NIT game against Eastern Michigan at the Mack.

A win over Eastern Michigan would put UNLV into the second round and a likely date at Kansas Nov. 21. The winner of that game would advance to the Nov. 26 semifinals at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Bayno is vacationing in Bermuda and could not be reached for comment.

There is talk the Rebels will appear on CBS Jan. 24 in a regional matchup against Utah at the Thomas & Mack. UNLV also has a pair of ESPN Big Monday appearances -- Feb. 16 against New Mexico and Feb. 23 at Utah.

In addition, ESPN tentatively is set to telecast five nonconference games and ESPN2 will air the Jan. 4 game at Tulane and the Jan. 17 game at Texas-El Paso.

The WAC still was working with the networks to finalize the TV schedules, both for conference and nonconference play. Assistant commissioner Jeff Hurd said he hoped to have the final TV schedules firmed up by late next week.

Whichever road games are not televised nationally will be aired locally on KUPN Channel 21. UNLV is waiting to see the final national TV schedule before determining the KUPN package.

Overall, the quality of the Rebels' schedule is good. UNLV is slated to meet four nonconference foes which played in last year's NCAA Tournament (Kansas, Southern Cal, Rhode Island and UCLA) as well as four nonconference games against NIT teams (Michigan, Syracuse, Nevada-Reno and Tulane).

UNLV meets USC Dec. 2 in Los Angeles to tip off what will be a hectic month, followed by a trip to Michigan Dec. 6. The following week, the Rebels head to the East Coast to play Rhode Island, which is coached by former UCLA mentor Jim Harrick. The Dec. 13 game will be played at the Providence Civic Center.

Because of the National Finals Rodeo, UNLV is forced to hit the road the first two weeks of every December. But once the cowboys clear out, the Rebels will have full run of the Thomas & Mack.

The annual lengthy December homestand begins Dec. 17 against Chicago State and is highlighted by games against Syracuse in the Las Vegas Shootout Dec. 20 and UCLA Dec. 27. Both games will be televised nationally on ESPN.

The five-game homestand, which includes a game with former Big West foe UC Irvine Dec. 23, concludes with UNR Dec. 30.

Once again, home games will tip off at 7:30 p.m., the exception being the nationally televised games.

The Rebels have shifted to the WAC's Mountain Division this year and that means trips to Utah and New Mexico. UNLV will play home-and-home sets with Utah, Brigham Young, New Mexico and UTEP as well as Wyoming, Colorado State and Air Force to complete the 14-game schedule.

UNLV dropped its crossover games with Hawaii and will meet Tulane in New Orleans Jan. 4 and host Wofford at the T&M Feb. 7.

The WAC Tournament returns to Las Vegas March 3-7 with the winner receiving the conference's automatic bid to the NCAAs March 8. Last year, UNLV lost in the quarterfinals to Tulsa.

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